Shaping future leaders
Manama : The Bahrain Bayan School, finalists in the Zayed Future Energy Prize concluded it’s 10 annual BayMUN (Bayan Model United Nations) reinforcing the theme “sustainable energy” at the Bayan School premises yesterday.
The event held under the patronage of Shaikha Haya bint Rashed Al Khalifa, Chairperson for the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution, brought together over 800 participants from over 20 schools across Bahrain and other countries to discuss and debate world issues.
Bahrain Bayan School is the first and only school in Bahrain and the sixth school in the region to be affiliated with ‘The Hague Model United Nations (THIMUN)’. THIMUN supports and promotes the work of the United Nations by encouraging dialogue about international issues among young people across the world.
The theme of the 2017 conference was ‘Creating a Sustainable Future for Bahrain, the Middle East, and the World’. This year’s conference incorporated, for the second year in a row, an Arabic speaking council, Majlis Al Nuwab, which is designed to enhance the students’ knowledge of the roles of real UN diplomats.
In keeping with the sustainability theme, a team of the Bahrain Bayan School students have converted their School cafeteria building into a fully sustainable project called Eco Lab 360. Solar panels, a biogas generator, food waste composting, general recycling, and greywater recycling systems have been implemented, which the students estimate will save the school around USD 6,000 annually on water and energy.
The highly successful project which has been nominated as a finalist project in the Zayed Future Energy Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in renewable energy and sustainability, will also serve as an educational platform for other schools and even government organisations to study sustainable technologies and practices.
Competing in the Global High Schools Asia category as the only finalists from the Arab region, the Bahrain Bayan School team stands a chance to win USD 100,000 to use towards their sustainability project. The winner will be announced in Abu Dhabi in January 2018.
Apart from the Eco Lab 360 project, the school has also launched the Bahrain Bayan School Eco Pledge, in which participants pledge to reduce their carbon footprint and water consumption.
“The Bahrain Bayan School is very proud to be hosting the THIMUN-affiliated Bayan MUN for the tenth year in a row,” said Dr May bint Sulaiman Al Otaibi, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Bahrain Bayan School.
“BayMUN is a powerful educational tool for students to learn about diversity and diplomacy and to understand the challenges facing our world today. It builds confidence and leadership skills which will serve the participants well in the future.
“This year’s theme of sustainability inspired our students to undertake the ongoing Eco Lab 360 project, which has been nominated as a finalist for the prestigious Zayed Future Energy Prize. We wish them every success in the finals in January, and we hope their efforts will inspire other students for generations to come,” she added.
The BayMUN director Radia Ali furthers stated that “I would further take the opportunity to thank the Ahli United Bank, the Economic Development Board and Tamkeen for all their support for the event.”
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